I’ve only had a stationary belt sander. I usually hand sand and use hand scrapers But sometimes I think I could use a sander. I’ve got lots of air, 60 gal. tank and 5hp compressor. And I like air tools. Does anyone have any experience with a pneumatic random orbital sander? If so, recommend a brand or features? Thanks in advance.

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4 replies so far

Only used them in factories with big compressors so can,t comment on if your compressor will handle it, but i sounds like it will. Performance wise they are fantastic and to be honest most of the ones i,ve used were not even brand name tools. On the downside i have to say they are a lot louder than electric and they can vibrate badly and you need a good water trap on your line.

Daniel, I have a Dynabrade sander. The sander is very light and does and excellent job. They use alot of air and the compressor ( at least my 60 gal ) will run almost non-stop while you are using the sander. You will also need a water filter on your compressor line. Good luck, pkennedy

In addition to the fine brands mentioned above, Ingersoll Rand also makes some excellent industrial grade sanders. As Rick3ddd mentioned above, what you want to keep in mind is the type of finish desired. The 3/16” orbit models are better for rough work while the 3/32” orbit models are better for swirl free finishing. 5” and 6” pads are the norm when dealing with Random Orbital Sanders (ROS) Here are examples of each: